The present invention relates to a head for use with an electronic thermometer which itself is adapted both for general use and for clinical use.
Mercury thermometers are widely utilized as temperature measuring devices. These thermometers, however, are not entirely satisfactory in that they provide neither a rapid nor a very precise reading. They are further disadvantageous in that their use presents a danger of re-infecting the patient, and additionally, they are easily broken during use. In other words, such devices lack the necessary structural integrity for reliable operation.
Electronic thermometers are also known which include sensor probes, usually in the form of tubes constructed of stainless steel or other suitable materials and which incorporate sensor elements (usually thermistors). These electronic thermometers generally must contact the body whose temperature is to be measured substantially at right angles. For this reason, it is difficult to use such devices to obtain the temperature in hard to reach areas, such as the armpits or on the body surfaces, then requiring a sublingual or rectal placing. Furthermore, these thermometers require a rather high time interval to reach a steady-state reading, i.e., some time is required to accurately obtain the patient's body temperature. This is especially true when the electronic devices are used with disposable covers. For these reasons, these thermometers require assistance of additional electronic circuits to compensate for the delay, which additional equipment involves considerable additional cost.